Will Google's New 'Related Activity Cards' Boost Brand Browsing? 

Google is now rolling out a new feature in search named “your related activity”, which allows mobile users to pick up a search where they left off previously.

Google will show users links to pages they have visited in the past through their search history. In addition, Google will show users the searches that led to those pages. Check out the gif here.

Users can also mark a page to read or reference later via an activity card within a collection. 

The new launch forms part of a broader Google shift, first mooted in 2018, as it seemingly heads towards a ‘keyword-less’ future. It is widely expected that with the growing dominance of voice search and visual search users will turn to the written word less and less for discovery.

The Next 20 Year’s Of Search

In September 2018, to mark Google’s twentieth birthday, the search giant mused on the next chapter of search and some of the changes marketers and users could expect through 2019 and beyond.

1. The shift from answers to journeys: To help you resume tasks where you left off and learn new interests and hobbies, we’re bringing new features to Search that help you with ongoing information needs.
2. The shift from queries to providing a queryless way to get to information: We can surface relevant information related to your interests, even when you don’t have a specific query in mind.
3. And the shift from text to a more visual way of finding information: We’re bringing more visual content to Search and completely redesigning Google Images to help you find information more easily.

What Would Keywordless Discovery Mean For Marketers?

Search pioneers have forecast the gradual demise of keywords for some time and still do. Simply put, Google’s too smart nowadays.

Successive algorithm updates, like Hummingbird or Panda, and continued, regular updates, are making many typical SEO tactics obsolete, or a lot less effective at best.

Throw into the mix Google’s super smart RankBrain machine learning and the game is almost up for many.

The future of search, based upon Google’s recent rumblings, is primarily user experience.

Businesses need to focus first and foremost of the needs, wants and desires of users and concentrate on adding value. As opposed to creating reams of empty, vacuous keyword rich copy.

For some time now, smart marketers have centred SEO efforts on trying to understand the user intent behind a query and focusing on addressing this need head. Rather than just writing ‘best PR agency Adelaide’ through their web copy repeatedly.

As the latest update shows, Google is shifting more to favour user journeys over anything else. Therefore, the better you can learn to understand and pre-empt yours, the better you’ll likely do from search ongoing.